


A Cobra Kai Christmas Carol

by Jules1980



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:09:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21952726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jules1980/pseuds/Jules1980
Relationships: Amanda LaRusso/Daniel LaRusso, Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence, Robby Keene/OFC, Samantha LaRusso/Miguel Diaz
Comments: 9
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheEmpressAR](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEmpressAR/gifts).



A/N: Ghost Johnny is from TheEmpressar’s beautiful Soulmates. I’m honored she allowed me to play with that world!

* * *

“I know, I know. I’m worried about him, too,” Daniel seemingly spoke to the empty air beside him. After ten years he had become adept at deciphering which thoughts were his and which were… not. Though he didn’t usually answer those thoughts out loud, Amanda had also become adept at knowing when he was talking to her and when he was talking to… him.

She looked up from her computer. Daniel wasn’t looking at her, he was watching Robby, no, he preferred Robert now, on the sales floor

After his father’s death, the LaRussos had practically taken him in, gotten him back in school, helped him go to college, and he had managed to work his way up from errand boy to a floor manager at the Encino dealership in the few years since graduating

The kid had actually done well for himself, considering where he had been when he first started at LaRusso Auto to get some revenge on his dad. He had started to finally outgrow the traumas of his youth. He had his job, a nice apartment, and a fiancée who was crazy about him. He had found stability, affection, love, and most importantly, the respect in himself to believe he deserved those things. He was finally okay.

Then six months before, his mother had moved across the country to be with her latest boyfriend and his family. Robby had felt abandoned again and had started to spiral out of control.

It had started with drinking, just a few after work, a beer with dinner, a nightcap before bed, nothing to get too excited about. At least, according to Robby. According to Lila, his fiancée, it was enough to be worried about. When Daniel had tried to talk to him, he'd shut him down saying "Johnny died. Shannon left. What is there to talk about?” 

The drinking had turned into partying that turned into staying out all night. After a few weeks of that, Lila had given him an ultimatum: her or staying out all. She moved out the next night he didn't come home. 

After that, Daniel lost track of all the self-destructive behaviors Robby had come up with. The only non-destructive thing he could consistently do was show up for work. 

When Robby had been sixteen, Daniel knew how to handle him, how to reach him, but this… How do you stop a twenty-six-year-old hellbent on destroying himself? 

“He’s not a kid anymore, Johnny. I can’t just drag him out to woods and push him off a tree until he gets his head straight again.” He watched the younger man for a moment longer then turned away from the window. “Well, if you have any ideas, let me know, Smartass.”

* * *

“What the hell, Johnny?!” Daniel exclaimed. He looked around at the strange fog surrounding him and the slightly transparent appearance of Johnny. “Where are we?  _ What _ are we?”

“Well, I’m dead and I think you might still be asleep. I’m not sure. I didn’t ask how the mechanics of how this was going to work,” Johnny explained, motioning to Daniel’s less transparent form. “I don’t think you’re dead in any case. You’re a little  _ too here _ to be dead. It’s a different look. Don’t ask me. I can’t really explain it.”

“Okay, well that’s comforting, I guess. So, where are we?” 

"Wherever dead guys can hang out with sleeping ones," Johnny shrugged. "What's with the questions? Do I look like the person who makes the rules of being dead?"

“Fine. Why are we where dead guys can hang out with sleeping ones?" 

"You said that if I came up with a way to help Robby, let you know. I had an idea."

“Okay. What is it?"

"Have you ever seen A Christmas Carol?"

"You mean Charles Dickens’ novel?" Daniel snickered. “I might have heard of it a few times.”

“We had to read it in tenth grade," Johnny replied. "Disney was better. It only took thirty minutes to get to the point, not three weeks."

Daniel chuckled. He wasn’t going to even try to argue that point. "So, we're going to scare Robby into being nicer?"

"Something like that. Look, it's not exactly the most shining memory but I do remember that his one biggest fear was to become me. Well, guess what? He is me! I mean, I was thirty-six and not twenty-six, but that just means he gets there ten years earlier. Here’s hoping his crazy high school karate instructor doesn’t go murdery on him."

“Very funny.”

“Are you going to help me or not?"

"Well, I don't think I have much choice, so lead the way," Daniel motioned in front of him.

* * *

Robby stumbled home, collapsing on his sofa. He checked his phone. It was official Christmas Eve. Of course, Lila hadn't called him or texted him. He had pretty much ruined that relationship, projecting his own flaws on to her, accusing her of the things he had been guilty of himself. 

Despite working for the LaRusso’s, Robby hadn't really been part of the family lately and besides, he didn't really want to see Sam and Miguel and their happy little family when he wasn't even sure if his kid had even been born or not, since Lila had moved out and refused to even answer his texts.

Oh well, it wasn't the first Christmas he had spent alone, and it wouldn't be the last, he was sure.


	2. Christmas Past

“Wake him up,” Johnny said to Daniel.

“Why me?”

“Because my waking him up might be just a little traumatizing seeing as how I’m supposed to be dead,” Johnny snapped. 

"Good point," Daniel agreed. "Okay, Sleepyhead. Get up. Get up." He pulled him up to a sitting position.

"Mr. LaRusso? Why are you at my apartment?"

"Don't ask me. Ask him," he motioned to Johnny.

"DAD!" Robby practically climbed up the back of his sofa to in shock that his dad was now in his living room when he died ten years earlier. "What?! How?! I didn't drink that much tonight, did I?"

"Yeah, you did," Johnny replied, "But that’s not what this is about, or not totally what this about. Look, I don't have all the answers. In fact, I have none of the answers, all I know is that I get out one chance at this."

"Chance at what?" Robby asked.

"At making sure that you don't become me."

"That's not going to happen," Robby scoffed.

“Yeah? Guess what, kid? You already are, literally, every mistake I made with you, you're about to make with your kid? Open a karate dojo and you're me the day I died."

Robby was silent for a long minute.

"You weren't that bad, Dad. You did your best. Mom and I could have at least tried to meet you halfway. And it's not like you choose to leave.”

"Thank you," Johnny replied softly. "Will you meet me halfway now?"

Robby nodded. "So what do we do now?"

"We go places and see things, I think," he replied. "And you listen to what we say."

“We?" Daniel questioned.

"You're here for a reason, I guess," Johnny shrugged. "I'm not…,"

"The one making the rules, I get it," Daniel interrupted. 

\----

"Where are we?" Daniel asked.

"Home," Robby whispered, in awe, before correcting himself. "I mean, this is where we lived when I was a kid."

“Before his mom and I broke up," Johnny clarified.

"Ah," Daniel nodded.

They were in the den of a smallish house, probably in Reseda. A Christmas tree was twinkling in a corner, presents in brightly colored paper stacked neatly beneath it.

"Now what?" Robby asked.

Johnny shrugged, but a door opened before he could speak. A very young Robby walked into the room.

He stopped, rubbed his eyes as if he didn't believe what he was seeing, then put on his glasses, and ran back out, slamming the door behind him.  _ “Daddy! Santa Claus came! Come see! Come see!" _

"I remember this," Robby said, moving over to the tree. He reached out  to touch an awkwardly wrapped gift.

"You got me a skateboard."

"And spent the day walking up and down the walk, holding your hand while you learned to hold your balance. I'll do that again if I need to.”

“Does everything have to be a balance reference?" Robby scoffed. “Can't we  just enjoy a good memory of mine or yours or my breakdown or whatever is going on here without balance?"

“I might have mentioned finding his balance a time or two after we talked today," Daniel said as Johnny looked over at him. "That's kind of my one thing with him. Usually, it works."

"I'm never drinking again," Robby swore, rubbing his eyes.

"See? He's better already," Daniel replied.

"Do you know how many times I said that then bought a six-pack on the way home from work the next day?" Johnny shot back.

"Can we see us?" Robby asked as the door burst open and young Robby pulled Johnny into the room.

“Not unless Disney lied to me,” Johnny shrugged again.

_ "See, Daddy?!" He jumped up and down. "See? I told you Santa came! Look at all the presents! "Can I open one?” _

_ “You know the rules," his dad replied. "We need to wait for mom. See what's in your stocking, then we'll see if she's ready to get up." _

_ "Okay!" Robby happily grabbed the lone stocking hanging from the shelf  _ _ under the television. _

_ "Hot wheels! Come on, Daddy. Let's race!" He was already ripping open the packages. _

The three men watched as the younger Johnny and Robby raced matchbox cars around the small den, building ramps and paths with boxes, ribbons, and leftover paper. When Johnny dared to glance over at Robby, he saw his son smiling for the first time in months.

“It’s not always bad, Robby. With your mom and I, it was bad a lot more than it was good, I admit,” Johnny said, softly. “And that put pressure on you that no kid should try shoulder. That was our biggest mistake, but it’s one that you don’t have to make. We remember extremes. Extremely good things and extremely bad things, but that’s not what life is. Those are just snapshots in time. Life is the everyday, in between, things. Putting your kid to bed and being there when he wakes up in the morning, helping with homework, teaching them things, family dinners, and just being there, that’s what life is and I know you’ll be great at that. You were always there, even when we weren’t. Understand?”

“I think so,” he nodded. “But it’s too late. She’s gone.”

\-------


End file.
